Tooth-brush holder and sterilizer



D. M. WILCOX.

TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER AND STERILIZER.

APPucATloN FILED SEPT. 12. me.

1,304,639, Patented May 27, 1919.

ral TEmE IEL E aww/nto@ ell/toma m A DOCTOR MERRITT WILCOX, 0F .MENOMINEE MICHIGAN'.

TOOTH-BRUSH HOLDER AND STERILIZER.

Specification of ILetters Patent.

Patented May27, 1919.

Application led September 12, 1918. Serial N o. 253,736.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, DOCTOR MERRITT WIL- cox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Menominee, in the county of Menominee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth- Brush Holders and Sterilizers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to supports, and it' relates more specifically to an improved tooth brush holder and sterilizer.

One of the objects of this invention is to this character with means whereby the sterilizing means may be quickly and easily removed and replaced by similar sterilizing means when 1necessary or desirable;

Another object is to provide a supporting element which may be formed from a single blank of celluloid or other sheet material, and in which the forming process requires the minimum number of steps, so that the device may be manufactured at a very low cost; y

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is strong, durable, thoroughly sanitary, convenient and easily attached to a wall or other extraneous support.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved tooth brush holder and sterilizer;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the support which is formed integrally of the sheet metal blank; and,

Fig. 7 is a somewhat modified form which illustrates several of the devices disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 secured to a Wall or panel by means somewhat different from the means wher-eby the first embodiment of the invention. is secured.

Referring to these drawings in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, the device consists of three separable elements 7, 8 and 9.

The element or member 7 is preferably formed integrally of a single blank of suitable springy sheet material and comprises a strip having one end apertured at 10 and formed with tongues 11 which are struck up from the aperture 10, its other end being formed with a laterally extending shelf 12, its middle portion being formed with a pair of parallel flanges 13 which extend inwardly toward one another at 14 and are spaced from the intermediate portion, and a yieldable tongue 15. The blank is bent at 16 so that the apertured end portion extends substantially at right angles to the middle and major portion of the blank 7, and the shelf 12 extends in the same lateral direction as the apertured end portion, flanges 13 and tongue 15, so that each of these elements may be bent laterally by a single stroke of a forming die. The prongs or tongues 11 are normally somewhat convergent toward their free ends so that they exert a clamping pressure against the cover or casing 8 for clamping the latter and holding it against accidental displacement. However, when it is desirable to remove the cover 8 for Washing it, or replacing a broken cover with a new one, the cover may be slid downward and upward between the tongues 11 in an obvious manner. Of course it is necessary lto remove the sterilizing element 9, preparaor mass of crystalized salt or sodium chlord 17 and a flexible plate 18 on which `the sodium chlord is secured by any appropriate means, and the lower end of this plate 18 is normally supported by the tongue 15, which cooperates with the flanges 13 and 14 and with the apertured end portion, above the flanges for securing the sterlizing element in a definite relation and in proximity to the lower open end of the casing 8, so that by a single motion the tooth brush bristles may be slid over the front surface of the ma or slab of salt and thence into the casing 8. By a slight lateral movement of the handle end of the tooth brush after its brush head is within the casing, said handle end may be brought to rest on the shelf 12. This shelf is preferably convexed upwardly so that the brush is retained on the shelf, against accidental displacement, but may be quickly and easily removed by either an outward or a lateral movement of the brush with relation to the shelf.

The casing 8 is formed with a flange 19, in the present embodiment, and .this flange limits the upward move-ment of the casing With relation to the support 7. However, it is not beyond the scope of this invention to dispense with the flange 19 and to secure the cover 8 by means other than that whichis here specifically described and shown.

Referring to Fig. 7 the elements 7 17 and 18 are identical with those previously described, but the fastening means may be in the form of a compressible knob 19 which snaps into a keeper element 20, the latter being secured to a wall or panel by any appropriate means; whereas, the securing means of the -previously described embodiment may consist of one or more nails, brads or screws y(not shown), which may be inserted through the openings 2l.

Although I have described these embodiments of my invention very specifically, it

-is not intended to limit this invention to these exact details of description and arrangement of parts, but -I am entitled to make changes within the scope of the inventive idea disclosed in the foregoing description and following claims What I claim as my invention is 1. A support formed of a single blank of sheet material having an apertured end adapted to receive an article to be removably supported, said apertured end being bent substantially at right angles to the middle part of the blank, the other end being bent laterally of said middle part so as to form a shelf, the latter being coperative with said apertured end for supporting said article in an upright position, said blank being formed with means to clamp and support a cover in a. position to close said aperture and protect the article being supported.

2. A support formed of a single blank of springy sheet material and comprising an apertured end having tongues struck up from the aperture of said end and adapted to support a cover over said aperture, said blank having its apertured end turned laterally of the middle part of the blank, said blank having its other end formed with a shelf which is coperative with said aperposition under saidcover, said blank being formed with means between said apertured end .and shelf for supporting an article which is auxiliary to and adapted to allect the rst said article.

4. In a device for holding and protecting and sterilizing a tooth brush, the combination of a casing, a shelf below the casing and adapted to support the handle-end of the tooth-brush and thereby hold its brush-end in the casing, and a slabof salt supported between said shelf and casing at a point adjacent to the latter.

5. In combination, a strip of spring material formed with parallel andA normally vertical flanges and a spring tongue coperative with the anges for holding a removable article, a shelf below said flanges, mea-ns above said llangesand coperative with said' shelf for supporting a second removable article to be affected by the first said removable article, and means supported by the first -said means and being effective. to hold a cover for the second said article. 6. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a casing havlng an opening to receive a brush-head, and a body of material to be applied to the brush, said body being supported in close proximity to said opening, whereby in the movement of inserting the brush-head into the casing or in removing it therefrom,the brush. bristles may be caused to Vcontact with said body of material.

7. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a support, means at one end thereof to support the handle of a brush, a casing at the other end of the support provided with an open end to receive the head of the brush, and a body of material to be applied to the brush fixed to the support adjacent tothe open end of the casing, whereby in the movement of inserting the brush-head into the casing or in removing it therefrom, the brush bristles may be caused to contact with said body of material. y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set lmy hand.

DOCTGR MERRITT WILCOX. 

